


coffee breath and chemistry

by siriusdamage



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Barista Blaine Anderson, Coffee Shops, Dalton Academy Student Blaine Anderson, First Dates, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Jeff/Nick the Warbler (Glee), Tutoring, Yeah its one of those, beatboxer warbler is meatbox, kind of, pls give him an actual tag I'm begging, yeah its one of THOSE those
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28040364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriusdamage/pseuds/siriusdamage
Summary: Sebastian came in every day like clockwork. He ordered the same thing; a medium, non-fat, no-whip mocha with extra chocolate drizzle and a lemon scone.Until one day he comes in and orders one black coffee.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Sebastian Smythe
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	coffee breath and chemistry

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing for five years and only now wrote a coffee shop/café AU. Hope y'all enjoy!

Blaine was starting to seriously regret taking this class. Food & Nutrition wasn’t a necessary course, and he had enough credits planned out to graduate as it was. It was really just to fill up his timetable if anything. He wasn’t expecting much out of it. Maybe cook a couple of things, spend some time with Jeff, it would be no problem. 

Oh, how wrong he was. 

Turns out, unbeknownst to Blaine, the Food & Nutrition classes would be running the small café at Dalton. Their teacher had said something about budget cuts, Blaine didn’t exactly know. Blaine just knew that now, when he wasn’t otherwise busy, he’d be working at a café for a credit. He considered dropping the course at first. It’s not like he needed it, anyway. But, after discussing it with his guidance counsellor, Blaine found out it was too late to drop the course. On top of everything, he and Jeff offered to take the early morning shift. Blaine just agreed to it to be nice, he figured someone would take it instead. Nobody did. He was stuck working in his school’s café nearly every morning for the rest of the school year. 

It wasn’t all bad, Blaine supposed. It gave him a way to spend his time outside of school and the Warblers. It did teach him how to do some new things, too. He didn’t know when he’d ever need to know how to make half the Dalton student body’s coffee orders, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it. Plus, he got to spend some extra time with Jeff when he wasn’t at Warblers practice or making out with Blaine’s roommate. And then there was Sebastian. 

Sebastian came in every day like clockwork. Blaine saw him around Dalton occasionally. He was on both the lacrosse and soccer teams, Blaine had seen him play before. Blaine heard that he was roommates with Meatbox but he mostly kept to himself. Sebastian arrived at Dalton’s café every morning before classes started, always while Blaine was working. He ordered the same thing every day; a medium, non-fat, no-whip mocha with extra chocolate drizzle and a lemon scone.

Until one day he came in and ordered one black coffee.

Sebastian didn’t look like his normal self. Most mornings, Sebastian was already wide awake when he came to get his coffee. He was animated and talkative, dropping a joke or a flirty comment every once and awhile. But today, he was the exact opposite. There were dark circles under his eyes and he seemed to be moving at half-speed. He didn’t say hi or wave back to the people who greeted him. It was like he was a different person. 

So, when Sebastian walked up to the counter and asked for a black coffee, Blaine simply asked, “Rough morning?” 

“Rough night, more like it.” Sebastian sighed, rubbing his eyes. He looked miserable. 

“What happened?” Blaine asked. Sebastian hesitated for a moment. “Come on, there’s no line, you can talk about it. Aren’t baristas supposed to be, like, free therapists or something?”

“Pretty sure that’s bartenders.” Sebastian joked. His voice still sounded exhausted but a small smile crept across his face. 

“Look at that!” Blaine exclaimed. “I got him to smile! Now are you going to tell me what’s going on or am I just supposed to stand here like an idiot while Jeff makes your coffee?” 

“Mrs. Martinez’s chemistry class.” Sebastian finally admitted. “I swear, that woman is going to be the death of me.” 

“Not a big fan of stoichiometry?” 

“ _God_ , no.” Sebastian was starting to pep up a little bit more, sounding a bit more like his regular self. “I have no clue what I’m doing, I swear.”

“I can help if you want.” Blaine offered. “I took the class last year.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it a senior class?”

“Yeah, but they let me take it last year. It was either that or another phys ed class. I’m sure you can guess why I took chemistry instead.” Blaine said, earning a laugh from Sebastian. “Why don’t you come by my dorm tonight after I’m done with Warblers practice? Around 4:00? I’m sure Meatbox can show you where it is.”

“It's a date.” 

Jeff handed Blaine Sebastian’s coffee and Blaine handed it to Sebastian. “Well, here you go, one cup of nice black coffee.” 

“‘Nice’ is an overstatement.” Sebastian started reaching into his pocket to grab his wallet. 

“Hey, it’s on the house.” 

Sebastian’s eyes widened. “Really? Won’t you get in trouble?”

“Well, it’s not like they can fire me.” Blaine handed Sebastian his coffee. “4:00. Don’t be late.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it, killer.”

* * *

Sebastian hated science. He didn’t know why he had enrolled in two different science classes in his senior year, it’s not like he was going to use them. His father was insistent on him following in his footsteps and becoming a lawyer. Chemistry and biology were really no use to him. 

At least, that was the excuse he gave his father when it came to his failing grades. 

He tried his best, he really did. Science just wasn’t his strong suit. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t get it. He’d never understand what copper sulphate pentahydrate was no matter how hard he tried.

When Blaine offered to help him, it was like his (non-existent) prayers had been answered. Teachers had offered to help him before, but every time they did, they treated him like he was stupid. It made Sebastian feel like a child. Blaine didn’t seem like he’d do that. Sebastian didn’t really know Blaine, but he’d definitely seen him around. Sebastian went to every Warbler performance. He always said it was in support of Meatbox or Thad or Jeff, but really, he mostly went for Blaine. Sebastian had even been daring enough to drop a few flirty comments while grabbing his morning coffee from Blaine, though Blaine seemed oblivious to the whole thing. 

Sebastian showed up at Nick and Blaine’s dorm that night at four ‘o'clock on the dot, just as he was told. He knocked and waited for Blaine to answer the door. The door opened a moment later to a Blaine that Sebastian wasn’t used to seeing. He’d abandoned his uniform tie and blazer, just in his partially-unbuttoned shirt. His hair was a bit messier than Sebastian usually saw it; smaller curls falling in his face, just a little bit puffier than usual. Sebastian figured it was from the wear and tear of the day. It was almost cute. 

“Hey,” Blaine greeted with a smile, stepping back from the door to let Sebastian in. “Come on in. Nick won’t be back for a while. I think he’s out with Jeff, I don’t really know.”

“It’s okay, I don’t pretend to know what Meatbox does.” Sebastian walked in and sat on the edge of Blaine’s bed. “Like, ever.” 

Blaine laughed slightly at that, moving to sit cross-legged on the bed next to Sebastian. “Alright, show me what we're working with.” He said. 

Sebastian pulled his work and laptop out of his bag, sighing heavily. “It's a lot.”

“Clearly.” Blaine remarked, shuffling closer to Sebastian. “Show me what you don't understand.”

Sebastian and Blaine spent a couple of hours going over Sebastian’s chemistry work. Blaine tried his best to explain everything that Sebastian was having trouble with (that he could remember from the year before) and luckily Sebastian was able to catch on. When he wasn’t distracted by Blaine’s hair or his eyes or his lips, that is. 

Sooner or later, both boys started getting more and more tired and hungry. It was well past 7:00 and neither of them had dinner or even a snack since lunch. Blaine was clearly exhausted, yawning every few minutes and rubbing at his eyes. 

“Alright,” Sebastian said eventually, shutting his textbook. “That’s it, that’s all my brain can take. I’m done.” 

“You think you’ll be okay for the test?” Blaine asked. 

“With your help? I’ll be okay for anything, killer.” Sebastian started gathering up his things. He stood up, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “Thanks for this. Maybe I could repay you with a coffee sometime?” 

“Oh God, no. No coffee.” Blaine stood up from his bed. “But I would like to go out with you if that’s what you’re asking.” He took a step closer to Sebastian. “How about… if you can pass this test, I’ll take you out for dinner?” 

“And if I fail?” 

“Trust me, you won’t.”

* * *

A little over a week later, Sebastian sauntered into the Dalton Café with a new confidence Blaine hadn't seen before. 

"I take it the test went well?" Blaine asked when Sebastian approached the counter. 

"Passed with flying colours, thanks to your help." He said. "That means you owe me dinner, killer." 

Blaine nodded. "I know, I know. You free on Friday?" 

"You know I am." 

"Then it's a date." Blaine smiled. "An _actual_ date this time." 

"See you then." Sebastian said. "And I swear, if you try to take me to Breadstix, I'm not going."

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on Tumblr at longinghestia  
> stay safe! :)


End file.
